


New Song

by silvertrails



Series: A Creature of Two Worlds [20]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 14:40:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17582783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvertrails/pseuds/silvertrails
Summary: Elladan has stayed away from Imladris for nearly a century.





	New Song

**New Song  
By CC   
December, 2009**

This is an amateur effort and does not intend to infringe on the rights of J.R.R. Tolkien. No profit is made and no harm is intended. 

This ficlet takes place a hundred years after The Fate of Men. Elladan is 302 years old. 

Thanks to Keiliss for the wonderful beta job. =)

* * *

_“I will not leave you,” Glorfindel said. “And if you lash out at me, I will still hold you close and wait for the storm to pass. I will stay here with you, until you are ready to come back home.”_

_“The Fate of Men”_

 

Glorfindel stood leaning against a bookshelf, arms crossed over his chest. Elrond was sitting at his desk, and Erestor and Gildor were sitting around comfortably. They were all listening to Gildor’s report on the new villages of men. These people had traveled south, skirting the western slopes of the Misty Mountains and passing through abandoned Eregion to finally settle down near the Glanduin. 

“Are these men on good terms with the Dunlendings?” Erestor asked. 

Gildor nodded. “They are, for now, but the agricultural land is scarce, and the forest cannot support both peoples. They share the river for fishing, and they trade, but they do not trust each other.”

“So problems could arise soon,” Erestor concluded.

Gildor simply nodded. His company visited the new villages of men regularly and sometimes traded with them, unless they were quarrelsome.

“How did the villagers receive you?” Elrond asked finally.

“They were not particularly happy to see us,” Gildor admitted, “but they were not hostile either. They believed we were a party of elves and men, actually.”

Glorfindel winced inwardly at Elrond’s expression. 

“Were there men with you?” 

“No.”

Elrond stood and walked toward the window. “I see.”

“He didn’t pretend to be a man, Elrond,” Glorfindel spoke at last. He was aware of Elrond’s worry over Elladan’s state of mind, but he had been there and seen Elladan’s discomfort when a villager asked him why he so resembled the elf – Elrohir – if he was a man. 

“But he looks like a man now,” Elrond said. 

Glorfindel moved to the window and saw the twins standing in the courtyard. It would be easy for a foreigner to distinguish them now, not only because of the differences in their attire, but because of Elladan’s shoulder-length hair. Glorfindel fingered the locket where he kept a strand of the soft tresses, a memory of days gone and a hope for a future together. 

“He does, but he is not a man. Elrond, you have to be patient. I don’t think Elladan will choose to be counted among the secondborn. This is just temporary.”

“Define temporary, Glorfindel,” Elrond demanded, moving away from the window. “That young man died a century ago, and still Elladan doesn’t want to come home. Elrohir leaves the vale as often as possible to spend time with his twin, and Arwen barely knows her brother. I believe that this has gone on long enough.”

“If you force him to come back, Elladan will escape, and Elrohir will follow him,” Gildor intervened. “At least this way you know where they are.”

“They are traveling too close to the sea.”

“We never allow the younger elves to reach the Havens.”

Elrond sighed. “I know. I just believe that the risk is too great. Do you not realize that the story could repeat itself? I don’t want my sons to make that choice while they are so young.”

“It might be a good idea that they spend so much time visiting the villages of men,” Erestor said. When everyone stared at him, he continued, “As you said, it’s been a century since Dresdel died. Elladan has seen their mutual friends aging and dying. Painful as it must be, he is seeing firsthand what would happen to him if he chose to be counted among the secondborn.”

Gildor nodded. “I think you are right, Erestor. Few of Dresdel’s friends are still alive, and they are very old now. We haven’t visited his village for a while, mostly because when we pass by, Elladan looks as if he wants to be somewhere else. I believe he just needs time.”

Elrond returned to his seat, his expression grim. “I hope you are right. When are you going to leave the vale?”

“We will stay for a few days, and then head to the Havens. Elladan is not coming with us this time,” Gildor added, looking at Glorfindel. 

Elrond looked at him too. “Where are you two going?” 

“I don’t know yet, but you know that I will keep him safe, Elrond.”

Elrond nodded slowly. “We need to speak about other things when you return, Glorfindel.”

“I know, and we will speak about everything. I am grateful for your patience and your trust, Elrond. I ask you to give me this time with Elladan, and I will have answers to all your questions when we return. Now if you all excuse me, he is waiting for me.”

As he headed outside, Glorfindel crossed paths with Elrohir. The younger twin looked content and calm, which meant that whatever Elladan had in mind, it was not something rash or dangerous. 

“Is Elladan ready?”

“Yes, he is waiting for you in the courtyard.” 

“Do you know where we are going?” 

Elrohir shook his head. “He would not tell me, but I know he will come back to me, and that is enough for now.”

Glorfindel nodded. He understood the twins’ closeness, but it was something difficult to bear with sometimes. 

“I am aware that my brother belongs with you, Glorfindel. It’s just that our link is so strong that I don’t think it possible for either of us to survive without the other. We are not Papa and Elros. Whatever choice Elladan makes, I will make the same.”

“And what does Legolas think about this, Elrohir? What if he wishes to sail, and Elladan wants to stay?” 

Elrohir sighed softly. “Legolas is my beloved, and I will do whatever is necessary to keep him safe. And that includes sending him to Valinor if I stay. I am counting on his brothers to do so.”

“Elrohir…”

“I believe that Elladan will choose to sail, but I have to think of the other possibility. That is why I cannot bond with Legolas.”

Glorfindel could see the pain in Elrohir’s eyes, a pain that mirrored his own. If Elrohir and Legolas didn’t bond, then the Mirkwood Prince would be able to take a mate on Aman. Glorfindel doubted Legolas would go along with Elrohir’s plan, but he kept his thoughts to himself. 

“Be safe, and keep him safe, please.”

Glorfindel nodded and continued on his way. Elladan was waiting close to the door, and together they headed to the stables. Once there, they readied their mounts in silence. 

“Will you not ask?” Elladan finally spoke.

“Will you tell me?” Glorfindel could not keep the edge from his voice. He was willing to go along with Elladan’s plans, but he didn’t like to be kept in the dark.

“I am sorry, Laurë,” Elladan said, speaking in Quenya. “I didn’t want you to know because Papa could ask you.”

“I wouldn’t have told him.”

“I didn’t want to put you in that position, but I realize now that I made you uncomfortable anyway.”

Glorfindel said nothing.

“I want to visit Dresdel’s village for the last time, with you, so I can say good-bye. It is time, Glorfindel.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. I don’t know what my choice will be, because it is too soon to make a decision, but I do want to return home. I’m no man, and I’m no elf. Maybe it is time simply to be myself, and to be with you, if you still want me.”

Glorfindel’s expression softened. “Why wouldn’t I want you, beloved? I have been with you through all this, so why these doubts now?”

“Because I know I have taken long to come back to my senses. You have been most patient with me. I don’t know what to say, how to thank you for this.”

Glorfindel cupped Elladan’s cheek with his hand. “I promised I would stay with you, no matter how long it took. Even if it had taken forever, I would never have left your side. I love you, Elladan. This is what love means, to be with each other, even during difficult times, to stand side by side and face the storm together.”

Elladan closed his eyes and Glorfindel could feel him shiver. He gathered the Peredhel in his arms and held him tightly. He would have to speak with Elrond and tell him that in time he hoped to take Elladan as his bonded mate. This was real, true love, and for the first time in his long life Glorfindel was determined to give his soul into another’s care.


End file.
